Why former UConn women’s basketball players thrive with WNBA’s Seattle Storm: ‘It’s a family’

As coaching started this week, 4 former Huskies are sporting the Seattle inexperienced and yellow: Westbrook, Hen, Stewart, and Gabby Williams.

“Seattle Huskies,” Stewart mentioned throughout a media Zoom name Wednesday afternoon after the group’s third day of coaching camp.

The 2022 season is more likely to be Hen’s final after she’s spent all 20 years of her WNBA profession in Seattle. The 41-year-old led the group to the second spherical of the playoffs final yr — falling to former UConn teammate Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury — regardless of a mid-season teaching change and spending three weeks in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics.

Stewart, who welcomed her first daughter days after serving to Hen and Crew USA win gold, enters her sixth yr within the WNBA after spending the offseason recovering from a minor Achilles surgical procedure. The four-time NCAA Champion with the Huskies missed the ultimate two video games of the common season and Seattle’s postseason run final fall due to the foot harm.

In the meantime, this summer time would be the first in Seattle for each Westbrook and Williams.

Williams was suspended from Chicago after which traded to Los Angeles final spring as a consequence of her dedication for taking part in on the French Nationwide Crew forward of the Olympics. Seattle then traded Los Angeles fellow former Husky Katie Lou Samuelson for Williams through the offseason. Williams has but to hitch the Storm for coaching camp as she concludes competitors taking part in abroad in Spain.

Westbrook’s addition to Seattle was made official on this yr’s draft, when she was chosen No. 21 total by the Storm.

“I used to be personally excited for us to draft Evina,” Stewart mentioned. “I feel that she’s a participant that may clearly have an effect on the sport on each ends. She’s sensible. She’s kinda been by all of it on and off the court docket, and simply offers us a brand new presence that we want.”

The fifth-year senior will graduate from UConn within the coming weeks after ending her coursework on-line whereas she’s in Seattle.

Getting drafted by Seattle was a dream come true for the Oregonian.

“I’m in an incredible scenario, not solely simply to play with them (Hen and Stewart) however I’m additionally the closest I’ve ever been to dwelling,” Westbrook mentioned. “Simply to be round them on and off the court docket is truthfully, it’s a blessing and simply to be on the identical (court docket), play with them and be their teammates, it’s fairly superior.”

Seattle coach Noelle Quinn mentioned Westbrook has been taking part in primarily level guard through the group’s opening days of camp. Whereas it’s a place Westbrook final performed throughout her freshman and sophomore seasons at Tennessee (she transferred to UConn previous to her junior yr), each Quinn and Hen have been impressed together with her versatility to play any of the guard positions on each side of the ball.

“She’s an enormous guard, capable of see over defenses,” Quinn mentioned. “What’s very nice about E is that she’s capable of play each guard spot. So, the flexibility on the offensive finish however her capability to protect a number of positions and I feel in our league you probably have, not clearly a ability set, however a selected ability set, particular ability set is essential, however gamers which have some versatility to their recreation stick on groups and discover methods to be efficient in our league.”

Westbrook mentioned the adjustment to the WNBA-level practices and scrimmages has been difficult, however she’s having fun with the flexibility to be taught from so lots of the league’s all-time veterans.

“It’s been an enormous adjustment to this point,” Westbrook mentioned. “I really feel like in each drill and every little thing that we’re doing, I’m messing it up or doing it improper. However I bought these two (Hen and Stewart) right here together with the opposite vets serving to all of us out, as a result of they’ve been by it. They’ve been rookies as soon as, in order that they completely perceive what it’s like.”

The 6-foot guard is deterred by the brand new degree of depth and ability set. She credit UConn and coach Geno Auriemma for getting ready her for the skilled world.

“We now have the identical sort of pedigree coming from Connecticut, coach (Auriemma) does get us prepared with every little thing that we’ve been by, final yr only a lot, however on the court docket, it’s the identical all through the years,” she mentioned. “I felt prepared to return in. I simply knew it was going to be an enormous change and it has been. But it surely’s nearly adjusting every day and so they’ve been telling us that.”

Hen and Stewart agree.

“This system, I do know they haven’t received in a pair years however one factor they do is get individuals prepared for the WNBA,” Hen mentioned. “So, you knew with a participant, like Evina, she was going to be prepared, hungry.

“Her capability to play a number of positions on the market, I feel there’s a lot to her recreation that hasn’t even been tapped into it that now that she’s a professional, she’s gonna begin to faucet into that, we’re gonna see much more from her so it’s thrilling.”

However greater than priming expertise on the court docket, this system additionally creates a long-lasting connection exterior of basketball.

“There’s a UConn connection as a result of regardless of who performs collectively or not, it’s a household and (we) simply wish to proceed serving to her together with this course of as she helps us,” Stewart mentioned.